Electric wire connecting device



.Sept 19, 1939. D, F SMH-H 2,173,668

ELECTRIC WIRE CONNECTINE DEVICE Filed Aug. 30, 1937' www Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

'I'his Invention relates to a connecting device for uniting electric wires or conductors which device is preferably to be referred to as an insultube".

The principal object of this invention is to provide a connecting device of a tubular character provided with an internal tubular element formed of a ductile metal suitably insulated which element is adapted to receive the adjoining ter- 10 minal ends of electric wires to permanently unite the same and which connecting device shall take the place of the ordinary twisted Junction between electric wires and render the usual junction box unnecessary.

Broadly stated the invention comprises a tube of ductile metal open at each end suitably insulated and covered with a protective sheath which extends beyond the ends of the tube, the ends of the electric wires to be connected being inserted into the ends of the tube with the protective sheath of the device overlapping the protective sheath of the electric wires, the ends of the tube being then deformed by pressure to clamp the same to the ends of the electric wires.

Other objects and advantages of this invention relate to the small cost per unit, speed of installation, permanency, strength, positive grip, positive insulation, avoidance of dirt and sticky tapes, case of making a connection, no danger of 3u short circuits, no soldering and adaptability for manufacture in various sizes to accommodate any size wire.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the inventiom- Figure l is a side view partly in section of a preferred form of the connecting device.

Figure 2 is a side view of the connecting device partly in section showing one of two adjoining electric wires connected thereto.

Referring to the drawing.. the connecting device III is made up of a length of a ductile met'allic tubing Il preferably of copper and surrounding the same is a layer I2 of insulating material such as rubber extending for the full length of the 4;, tube II. Surrounding the layer of rubber is a protective sheath Il of a exible and pliable character, preferably formed of woven rubberized thread or cord in the manner well known in the art, both the protective sheath I3 and inter- 50 mediate layer of rubber insulation I2 being bonded to each other and said layer of rubber insulation being bonded to the tube II to form a preformed single unitary device adapted to be later applied as described. The protective M sheath Il is of a length greater than the length of the tube II and extends for an equal distance beyond each end thereof, as clearly shown in Figure 1, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The length of the copper tube Il is made such 5 as to receive in each end thereof the terminal uninsulated end of an electric wire, each to be of an equal length of not less than 1/2 so that f there will be provided a slight space between the opposed ends of the electric wires lwhen such are inserted therein. The overlap of each end of the protective sheath I3 is preferably made of a length substantially equal to half the length of the copper tube Il. To insure best results the internal diameter of the copper tube must be such that the uninsulated terminal ends of the electric wires will snugly iit therein,

In connecting the adjoining ends of electric lwires by means of the connecting device III, each end of the electric wires I5 and Ia, see Figure 2 20 are trimmed to provide a length of uninsulated wire I6, I6a of approximately 1/2 in length, the shouldered edges I1, Ila being cut smooth and at right angles to the wire. The uninsulated terminal ends I6 and I6a are then Atwisted and in- 25 serted into the open ends of the copper tube Il with the shouldered edges I1, IIa abutting the ends of the tube II and rubber insulation I2, in the manner clearly shown in the left hand part of Figure 2. As the inside diameter of the overlapping ends of the protective sheath I 3 is equal to the outside diameter of the electric wire, the same will snugly and frictionally engage the protective sheath of the electric wires I5 and Ilia, thus presenting an exceedingly neat and simple construction. To securely lock the connecting device I0 to the uninsulated ends I6, Ita of the electric wires I5, I5a the copper tube II is fiattened out or crimped at each by the the application of pressure by means of a hammer, pliers or other suitable tool. As shown in Figure 2, the copper tube Il has been crimped as at I0 so as to securely fasten the wire end I6 thereto.

Itis to be understood that the connecting device III may be made of various sizes to accommodate different sizes of electric wire. As described above, the manner of applying the connecting device/ is the acme of simplicity requiring no special tools. Insulatng or friction tape is not required to seal and insulate the connection of the electric wires and inasmuch as the connecting device is a unitary element there are no separable parts that could be lost or broken to destroy its suitability for use. v

It is to be also understood that various modiiications in the details and shape of the connector herein shown and described may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination of a pair of insulated conductors and means for joining same, said conductors each having one end thereof trimmed to define uninsulated lengths of Wire with the edge of the insulation cut normal to said wire to provide shoulders, said means comprising a preformed connector including an inner ductile metal tuben a layer of rubber insulation surrounding said tube for the full length thereof and bonded thereto,7 and a sheath of flexible material protecting and encasing the layer of rubber and bonded thereto, said sheath having end portions extending beyond the terminal ends of said metal tube to denne a pocket at each end of the connestor, said unlnsulated lengths of wire each being received within an end of said tube with each shoulder abutting an endl of the tube and with the insulated portion of each conductor received 10 in a pocket, said tube being swedged to each of said uninsulated lengths of wire,

DONALD FRANCIS SMITH. 

